Gas lamp socket and transformer



May 12, 1931. J. o. cADlEux 1,804,525

GAS LAMP SOCKET AND TRANSFORMER Filed April 16, 1930 'um Siga@ Patented May 1,2, 1931A UNITED STATES JOSEPH.' 0. C'AIDIEID'X,A 0F MEBIDEINT, CONNECTICUT- ses L Aiar lsooiris'r AND rmnsronmnn .Tppneatin mea April is, 1930. Serin No. 444,729..

My invention relates to' lstructuieshaving lamps employing a luminescent gas, such as neon, with transparent or translucent tubes l and more particularly to that type used for display purposes in which it may be desirable to frequently change the lamp.

Lamps of this character employ a very high voltage, such as from 2,000 to 20,000 volts or more for their operation. The transformer used to furnishfthis voltage is usually supplied with energy from a distributing system of 110 to 250 volts and usually located in a more orl less remote place fromV the lamps, so that the wiring up of such lamps demands expensive insulation and changing lamps of this character may permit contact withco'nductors carryin dangerous potentials.

urthermore, in changing lamps of this type, it is necessary in the majority of 1nstances to change many parts of the supporting structure to conform to the particular size and shape ofthe lamps desired, which may result in a loss of time and necessitate expensive rewiring when installing new luminous tubes.

One of the principal objects of my invention .is to provide means whereby lamps. of varying sizes can be used without changing the supporting and retaining structures.

Another-pbject is to provide a structure having a lamp 'base adaptable to diierent sized lamps that is capable of being connected to any near-by source of usual lighting `system voltage, a step-up transformer being located within the structure for this purose.

A further object is to provide means for ythe segregation of the high tension terminals in a manner whereby the danger incident to the changing of lamps is reduced to a minimum, the terminals bein(lr isolated within insulated chambers of the lamp base and socket.

A. still further object provides a device that is simple in construction and possesses a novel arrangement of the correlated parts in a manner w ereby disassemblement of the `same is readily accomplished for replacement and repair.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, appended claims and annexed drawings.

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of one form of my device, the same beingv shown in connection with a transformer.

' Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the tube baseV of the lamp and covers being removed.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of my device, a different lamp being used, the bus bars being in the dotted position shown in Fig. 2.

A casing or support 4 has secured therein or depending therefrom, the totality of parts constituting my .lamp structure. Within the casing 4 is mounted a cup 7 formed refof current supply in any convenient manner.

Spring contact clips or terminals 14 are secured within recesses 15 in the socket member 8 by means of wtubular eyelets 16 which also serve to receive high tension output leads 17 of the transformer '10.

, An insulating cover or shield 18, of appropriate insulating material such as sheet fibre is secured to the end lof the socket most remote from the transformer 8,` for instance kby being frictionall'y engaged with a flange 19 formed thereon. This shield 18 has openings 20 allowing the insertion through said vopenings of the prongs or terminals 21 of the lamp base 5, hereinafter described.

clips 14 are suitably shaped for interconnection as clearly illustrated in., the -dra'wg.lhe lamp base 5 is preferably formed of molded insulating material and has two chambers 22`22 and a separating wall 23 which constitutes an isolation means for bus bars 24. Y

To the prongs 21, molded in the base 5,

are pivotally connected the bus bars 24: h aving spring washers 25 associated therewith, which normally hold the bars in 'any desired angular position within the limits imposed the chambers 22 and wall 23. Spring tube clips 26 are secured to each of the bus bars by suitable means suchas rivets 27 or the like and serve to receive the terminals of the luminous tube 6, hereinafter referred to in order to hold and form electrical c'ontact with the lamp 6. The base portion of the-socket 5 may be rovided with recesses or indentations 28 w ich are adapted to receive the heads of the rivets 27. The bus bars may be provided with a series of openings or holes 29, for receiving rivets 27 thus securing the clips thereto. By this arrangement the clips ma be secured at certain desired distances rom the pivotal points of the bus bars.

Covers 30 preferably of insulating, material have openings 31 formed therein admitting the passage of the terminal ends of the lamp 6.

The lamp 6 comprises a tube 32 secured to a plate 33 preferably of insulating material. The tubeK 32 has suitable electrodes 34 withi terminals for engagement with the clips 26 and contains a suitable form of gas,

tions. A suitable reflector or such as neon under proper operating condiard 35 surrounds the tubeand is secure 33 in an desired manner.

A gas et 36 is positioned on the front of the casing.. 4 in a manner to keep moisture and other foreign matter from penetrating therein and receives upon its outerv face the plate 33. Screws 37-serve to hold the plate and gasket in a fixed position as illustrated in the drawings. p

asket may be turned into the casing thus orming a. seal between the casing and the socket.

It is evident that by rotation of the bus bars about their pivots 21 and positioning of the clips 26 in the appropriate one of the openings, 28 in the bus bars, a very large number of positions of the clips 26, relative to each other and to the observer can be obtained. Such positions will lie along concentric arcs as indicated in Fig. 2, and will allow letters 'or other indicia to be provided with terminals registering with some position of the clips and allowing the letter to appear in a correct position relative to the observer.

While I have shown and described the to the plate The inner edge of the` heads of the rivets 27 adapted to register and be held within the indentations 28 for normally holding the bus bars in a desired position, it is to be understood that the spring washers 25 may be of a sufficient resilient strength that this feature may be eliminated in .some instances. Furthermore, the bus bars may be equipped with slots instead of holes for the closer adjust` sion terminals, bus bars, clips etc., in thisnovel manner reduces the glreat danger usually inherent in lamps of t is character.

It is to be distinctly understood that the various words, terms and phrases used herelin are to be construed in their broadest aspect and scope and that the word clip is further indicative of a terminal, contact, connecting means, locking means, supporting means or retaining means.

Clips 26 may by means other than the rivets shown, so s to be more readily changed, along the bus ars.

Casing 4 may evidently be made horizontally long enough to contain a plurality of these units.

y Transformer l0 may be of any suitable character or ratio, according to the input voltage available andthe output voltage required, and is not limited to the step-up type described in the foregoing.

It is further understood that various changes and modifications may be made, in the construction of my device without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A tube base having bus bars movable thereon, spaced terminals connected therewith, means for isolating said bus bars and clips positioned on said bus bars and adjustable thereon.

2. A tube base having vconcealed 'chambers, electrical contacts leading to said chambers, bus bars associated with said contacts, tube clips adapted for connection with said bus bars and means for positioning said clips a predetermined distance in relation to each other.

3. A tube base having chambers, terminals leading to said chambers, bus bars connected to said terminals, tube clips associated with said bus bars, means for varying the distance of said clips relative to each be fastened to the bus bar other and means for maintaining said clips in a fixed position.

4. A tube base comprising a plurality of chambers, terminals leading from said chambers, bus bars having adjustable contacts connected to said terminals, means for adjusting said bus bars Within the base to accommodate different tubes, means for maintaining said adjustment and means for isolating said bus bars.

5. A tube base having projecting terminals, bus bars hinged to said terminals and adjustable to various positions in the base to accommodate different tubes.

v6. An insulating base having two chambers, a bus bar pivotally mounted in each chamber, an external terminal connected to each bus bar and a tube clip secured to each bus bar and movable therewith.

7. A tube basefghfaving centrally disposed terminals, bus bars connected to said terminals Within the base and adjustable in the base and having tube clips carried by and adjustable with the bus bars.

8. A tube base comprising a plurality of chambers, terminals leading from said charnbers, bus bars having adjustable contacts connected to said terminals, means for adjusting said bus bars Within the base to accommodate different tubes, means for maintaining said adjustment and means for y isolating said bus bars.

9. A lamp structure comprising a casing, a transformer having high tension terminals positioned therein, a tube socket having complementary terminals, means for securing said socket to said casing, adjustable bus bars hinged to said socket terminals, means for holding said bus bars in a desired position, clips mounted on said bus bars for engagement with lamp tube terminals and capable of adjustment and means having tube apertures for housing said bus bars.

l0. A tube base having a partitioned chamber With projecting terminals, bus bars connected to the terminals, said bus bars adapted for movement Within said chambers, tube clips secured to said bus bars, means for maintaining said bus bars in a predetermined position, and means for isolating said bars Within said chamber, consisting of a cover provided with tube receiving apertures.

11. A structure of the character described comprising in combination a luminescent gas lamp having tube terminals; a transformer having high tension terminals; a tube socket interposed between said lamp and said transformer and provided With terterminals for engagement With the terminals of the transformer; bus bars positioned Within said socket; tube clips mounted on said bus bars and adapted to'receive said tube terminals and means for'connecting the bus bars to the socket terminals in a manner 

